Both burger mavens would encounter surprises during the tasting, which asked judges to award points from 1 to 5, taking into account the stack’s flavor, structural integrity and overall appeal.

A memorable backyard burger begins with good ingredients. That’s a no-brainer. You need a patty formed from fresh ground beef, preferably with at least 20 percent fat.

Like any good sandwich, the best place to start is with the bread – or in this case, the buns! Toast the buns for a solid foundation. Untoasted buns are like sponges and quickly get soggy.